Rue McClanahan
A veteran television actress and Broadway star of the 50s, Rue McClanahan was an actress noticed by television executive, Norman Lear. Lear cast her in a number of television shows, including "All in the Family" (1971) with 'Carroll OConnor' and "Maude" (1972) with Bea Arthur. McClanahan next co-starred with Vicki Lawrence, Ken Berry, Betty White and Carol Burnett in "Mama's Family" (1983) for three years, and after it was canceled by NBC, McClanahan was probably best known for her role as the saucy, sharp southern belle, Blanche, in "The Golden Girls" (1985). She once again worked with Bea Arthur and Betty White, and with relative newcomer Estelle Getty. All four of the women won Emmy Awards for their roles. After Bea Arthur left the show after eight seasons, McClanahan, White and Getty returned for a brief spin-off in "The Golden Palace" (1992). In the mid-nineties, McClanahan was diagnosed with cancer, but was able to fight it successfully. In addition to lending her talents to a number of made for TV films, McClanahan has also appeared on the big screen in recent years co-starring with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in the comedy Out to Sea (1997) and with Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers (1997). McClanahan also spends her time joining and helping organizations against cancer, AIDS, and cruelty against animals.
127 acting credits
Acting · 127
Law & Order
1990
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
Columbo
1971
Mannix
1967
Murder, She Wrote
1984
King of the Hill
1997
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
The Love Boat
1977
The View
1997
Great Performances
1971
Touched by an Angel
1994
The Golden Girls
1985
Alice
1976
Spider-Man
1994
Newhart
1982
Trapper John, M.D.
1979
Fantasy Island
1978
Boy Meets World
1993
All in the Family
1971
Intimate Portrait
1993
Lou Grant
1977
The Tony Danza Show
2004
Charles in Charge
1984
Celebrity Ghost Stories
2009
Empty Nest
1988
The John Larroquette Show
1993
Ladies Man
1999
Hope & Faith
2003
Crazy like a Fox
1984
Mama's Family
1983
Maude
1972
Burke's Law
1994
Gimme a Break!
1981
Promised Land
1996
Remember WENN
1996
Starship Troopers
1997
Where the Heart Is
1969
Cover Up
1984
Wonderfalls
2004
American Playhouse
1982
The Golden Palace
1992
Whoopi
2003
Nurses
1991
Love Boat: The Next Wave
1998
Supertrain
1979
$weepstake$
1979
Darkroom
1981
Another World
1964
Here's Boomer
1981
The Lot
1999
Sordid Lives: The Series
2008
The Earth Day Special
1990
Safe Harbor
1999
The Fighting Temptations
2003
Out to Sea
1997
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
2002
Apple Pie
1978
Night of 100 Stars III
1990
Grandpa Goes to Washington
1978
Dear God
1996
They Might Be Giants
1971
Mother of the Bride
1993
The Man in the Brown Suit
1989
Golden Girls 3033
2022
Miracle Dogs
2003
Blade
1973
This World, Then the Fireworks
1997
Betty White: First Lady of Television
2018
Gridlock
1980
Annabelle's Wish
1997
Gaze
2010
After the Shock
1990
Rainbow
1978
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
2003
Mickey's 60th Birthday
1988
Topper
1979
Rusty: A Dog's Tale
1998
Picnic
1986
The People Next Door
1970
Generation Gap
2008
To My Daughter
1990
A Different Approach
1978
Baby of the Bride
1991
The Women
2002
The Dreamer of Oz
1990
Children of the Bride
1990
Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force
1978
The Day the Bubble Burst
1982
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1989
Word of Honor
1981
A Holiday to Remember
1995
Message from Nam
1993
A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story
1994
Back to You & Me
2005
Hogan's Goat
1971
Take My Daughters, Please
1988
Modern Love
1990
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1985
Innocent Victims
1996
Having Babies III
1978
Some of My Best Friends Are...
1971
A Saintly Switch
1999
The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Moments
2003
The Golden Girls: Ageless
2021
The Skin of Our Teeth
1983
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship
2025
Five Minutes to Live
1961
Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
2021
The Little Match Girl
1987
Nunsense
1993
Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula
1997
Rue McClanahan: The Cat Care Video Guide
1990
Liberace
1988
The Wickedest Witch
1989
Border to Border
1998
Nuncrackers
2001
The Rimers of Eldritch
1972
Just Between Us
1961
How to Succeed with Girls
1964
Angel's Flight
1965
Nunsense 3: The Jamboree
1998
The Grass Eater
1961
Nunsense 2: The Sequel
1994
The Moving of Sophia Myles
2000
Help Save Planet Earth
1990
Hollywood After Dark
1961
Five Minutes to Love
1963